An integral apparatus having laser sighting means embodied in a pocket sized device, for use in determining end points along ceilings and wall perimeter edges to more accurately size drywall pieces to be installed in generally non-rectangular perimeter sections of ceilings and walls. The sighting apparatus, comprises a housing having a longitudinally elongated base member and a longitudinally elongated column member, said base member and column member being at right angles to one another and joined longitudinally to one another, said base member and column member having opposing parallel and substantially flat longitudinal faces and an edge surface extending between the longitudinal faces, thereby defining at least one rail having two longitudinal perpendicular surfaces; a laser module and batteries. In a preferred embodiment, laser modules are provided at each axial end of the housing to enable beams to be selectively projected in either longitudinal direction. In a further embodiment, a laser module is provided to emit from a longitudinal surface of the housing, in a direction parallel to a first rail surface or a perpendicular second rail surface.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A sighting device comprising: (a) a housing; and (b) at least one laser module; wherein the housing comprises a longitudinally elongated base member and a longitudinally elongated column member, said base member and column member being joined longitudinally to one another at right angles to one another, thereby defining a rail, each of said base member and column member having i) opposing parallel and substantially flat longitudinal faces and ii) an edge surface extending between the longitudinal faces; and the housing has at least one chamber, with each chamber housing a laser module; and wherein each chamber has an aperture to communicate laser light out of a surface of the housing.
2. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein the sighting device has an electrical supply means associated therewith, a trigger circuit board connected to the electrical supply means, a laser diode electrically connected to the trigger circuit board, an on-off switch for controlling supply of electricity between the electrical supply means and the laser diode.
3. The sighting device in claim 1, wherein at least one aperture is located at an axial end of the elongated housing.
4. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one aperture is located to project through an elongated surface of the housing, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing.
5. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein the aperture of an axial projecting laser module is about half way into the base member and about half way into the column member.
6. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the housing, transverse to the longitudinal direction, is in the shape of a T. or an L.
7. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein the chamber for each laser module permits the laser module to project its laser beam perpendicular to the surface through which it projects.
8. The sighting device according to claim 1, which has a means for selectively activating the laser modules.
9. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein a transparent overlay having cross-hairs is placed between the laser diode and the aperture.
10. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein indicia extends continuously around the sighting device, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sighting device, in the vicinity of a laser mounted perpendicularly to an axially oriented laser.
11. The sighting device according to claim 1, wherein indicia extends discontinuously around the sighting device, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sighting device, in the vicinity of a laser mounted perpendicularly to an axially oriented laser.
12. A sighting device according to claim 2 which also has a lens held at the aperture to the chamber.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 19, 1999
August 28, 2001
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